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Legislation #: 030233 Introduction Date: 3/6/2003
Type: Ordinance Effective Date: 4/6/2003
Sponsor: None
Title: Amending Chapter 66, Code of Ordinances, by repealing Sections 66-42, General procedure, 66-44, Review of final plat by Plan Commission, 66-45, Review of final plat by City Council, 66-47, Options for construction of public improvements and 66-122, Streets, and enacting in lieu thereof new sections of like numbers and subject matter.

Legislation History
DateMinutesDescription
3/6/2003

Prepare to Introduce

3/6/2003

Referred Planning, Zoning & Economic Development Committee

3/26/2003

Advance and Do Pass

3/27/2003

Passed


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ORDNANCE NO. 030233

 

Amending Chapter 66, Code of Ordinances, by repealing Sections 66-42, General procedure, 66-44, Review of final plat by Plan Commission, 66-45, Review of final plat by City Council, 66-47, Options for construction of public improvements and 66-122, Streets, and enacting in lieu thereof new sections of like numbers and subject matter.

 

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

 

Section 1. That Chapter 66, Code of Ordinances of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, is hereby amended by repealing Sections 66-42, General procedure, 66-44, Review of final plat by Plan Commission, 66-45, Review of final plat by City Council, 66-47, Options for construction of public improvements and 66-122, Streets, and enacting in lieu thereof new sections of like numbers and subject matter, to read as follows:

 

Sec. 66-42. General procedure.

 

(a) Classification of subdivisions. Prior to any sale of any part of a proposed subdivision, and before any permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed subdivision shall be granted, the applicant, or his authorized agent, shall apply for and secure approval of such proposed subdivision in accordance with the procedure outlined in this section for either the minor subdivision, referred to as "lot split," or a major subdivision covered under the platting procedure.

 

(b) Official submission date. For the purpose of this chapter, the date of the regular meeting of the city plan commission, including any adjourned date thereof, at which time the review of the final plat submission of the subdivision plat was held, shall constitute the official submittal date of the plat. The 60-day period required by RSMo 89.420 for formal approval or disapproval of the plat will commence at that time.

 

(c) Compliance with design principles. In preparing a subdivision, the developer shall comply with the rules and regulations concerning required improvements as set forth in article III of this chapter, and shall adhere to the standards as defined in article IV of this chapter.

 

(d) Platting procedure. The platting procedure indicates three basic steps: (1) preliminary plat phase, (2) final plat phase review before the city plan commission, and (3) final plat phase review before the city council, each of which has a number of steps within it. Each of the three major phases is defined briefly as follows:

 

(1) Preliminary plat phase. During the preliminary plat phase, the applicant will hold preapplication conferences with the secretary to the city plan commission, or his designated staff representative, to discuss in general the procedures and requirements for platting, and more specifically the basic plans of the applicant. It is recommended that the applicant's engineer meet with the city engineer, or his designated staff representative, to review the physical features of the development relative to the


public improvements. The product of the preapplication conference will allow the applicant to complete a preliminary plat and submit it formally for review by the plats review committee. The plats review committee shall have the authority to approve or disapprove any preliminary plat; provided the preliminary plat must comply with all of the requirements of this chapter. The developer may elect to submit the preliminary plat to the city plan commission and city council. Generally, the election to proceed before the city plan commission and city council is recommended when:

 

a. The plats review committee disapproves the preliminary plat;

 

b. The developer is requesting a variance or conditional exception from this chapter; or

 

c. The development is planned to be platted in two or more phases.

 

If the developer elects to proceed to the city plan commission and city council, the plats review committee will review and forward its recommendations to the city plan commission and city council.

 

(2) Final plat phase review before plan commission. After a preliminary plat is approved, the applicant can then begin to comply with the requirement of final plat review before the city plan commission. Completion of the final plat phase review before the city plan commission requires the applicant to proceed under one of the three options described in section 66-47. During the final plat phase, the professional staff of the secretary of the city plan commission and the plats review committee will make recommendations upon the final plat and the appropriate city departments will make their recommendations upon the engineering plans required to construct improvements. These recommendations will be forwarded to the applicant for correction or compliance, if necessary, when approved by the appropriate body.

 

(3) Final plat phase review before city council. After selecting one of the options as set forth in section 66-47, the applicant may proceed to review before the city plan commission and city council. The final plat shall not be submitted to the city council until such time as all of the requirements of this chapter shall have been met. After approval of the final plat by the city council and after all applicable requirements of this chapter have been met, the city clerk shall release the plat to be recorded in the appropriate county.

 

Sec. 66-44. Review of final plat by plan commission.

 

(a) Application for approval. After approval of the preliminary plat pursuant to section 66-43, the applicant may file an application for approval of the final plat for review before the city plan commission, on forms made available at the office of the secretary of the city plan commission, together with a fee as required in section 66-10. The applicant shall also submit:

(1) A minimum of 20 copies of the final plat.

 

(2) Any additional information as required with the approved preliminary plat.

 

The secretary of the city plan commission shall refer the proposed final plat plus other pertinent data to the plats review committee for its review and recommendation, and to the appropriate city department, when applicable.

 

(3) A certified checklist certifying that the form and content of the final plat is in accordance with this section.

 

(b) Form and contents of final plat. The final plat to be reviewed by the city plan commission shall be prepared by a registered land surveyor in accordance with the following and shall include:

 

(1) Drawing at a scale of at least one inch equals 100 feet or larger on sheets at least 18 inches by 24 inches and not exceeding 24 inches by 36 inches with a 1 1/4-inch binding edge along the lesser of the two dimensions and a one-quarter-inch border along all other sides. If the proposed plat is of an unusual size, the final plat shall be submitted on two or more sheets of the same dimensions. If more than two sheets are required, an index sheet of the same dimensions shall be filed, showing the entire development at a smaller scale.

 

(2) Name of subdivision, which name shall not duplicate or too closely approximate the name of any existing subdivision, and shall specify the city, county and state.

 

(3) Location of section, township, range, county and state; and a legal description of the boundary with acreage of the subdivision. The boundary description shall be based on an accurate traverse and tied to a coordinate system based on information provided by the city engineer. The allowable error of closure and positional accuracy of the boundary traverse, or any portion of the final plat, shall be in accordance with the official document adopted by the director of public works based on the current Minimum Standards for Property Boundary Surveys, 10 CSR 30-2, Missouri Code of State Regulations.

 

(4) Location of lots, streets (public and private), public ways, alleys, parks, parkways and other features, with accurate dimensions in feet and decimals of feet, with the length of radii and arcs of all curves, and with all other information necessary to reproduce the plat on the ground. Dimensions shall be shown from all angle points and points of curve to lot lines.

 

(5) Numbering of lots. Lots shall be numbered clearly. If the blocks are to be numbered or lettered, this should be shown clearly in the center of the block.

 

(6) The exact locations, widths, grades and names of all streets to be dedicated.

 

(7) Location and width of all easements to be dedicated.

 

(8) Front building setback lines, with appropriate dimensions, if required.

 

(9) Names and addresses of the developer and surveyor making the plat and the signature and seal of the surveyor.

 

(10) Scale of plat, with the scale to be shown graphically and in feet per inch, date of preparation and north point.

 

(11) Statement dedicating all easements.

 

(12) Statement dedicating all streets, alleys and other public areas not previously dedicated.

 

(13) Proposed street grades on all interior and peripheral streets, which shall be shown per section 66-122(f).

 

(14) Dedications to the public of streets, municipal uses, utilities, parks and easements in a form approved by the city engineer and the city counselors office. All land included in the irrevocable offer of dedication shall be dedicated to the city free and clear of all liens and encumbrances on such premises. The subdivision plat shall be marked with a notation in a form approved by the city engineer, which indicates the formal offers of dedication.

 

(15) Signature blocks for certificates of approval by the chairman and secretary of the city plan commission, city engineer, director of public works, mayor, and city clerk.

 

(c) Supplementary documents. The following items shall also be submitted with the final plat:

 

(1) Three copies of any private restrictions affecting the subdivision or any part thereof.

 

(2) Computation worksheets in digital format approved by the Director of Public Works showing all coordinates or lot corners and street control tied to the coordinate system based on information provided by the city engineer.

 

(3) Ownership certificate from a title company which shows the following:

 

a. The legal description of the property to be subdivided.

 

b. The ownership of all property within the described property.

c. Any deeds of trust, liens, attachments or encumbrances upon property to be subdivided.

 

d. Statement of taxes and assessments due and payable upon the property described.

 

e. Existing easements or right-of-way of record.

 

(4) Release of any dedicated rights-of-way from and subordination of any deeds of trust to any building lines and easements shown on the plat.

 

(5) Subordination of any existing easements where in conflict with proposed rights-of-way.

 

(6) Apportionment of special assessments on land to be dedicated to public right-of-way.

 

(d) Procedure. If the applicant has submitted material for final approval, the secretary of the city plan commission shall, within ten working days, refer this submission, and the planning staff review, to the plats review committee for discussion at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Within 14 days after the plats review committee has made its recommendation, the secretary will notify the applicant of the results. In addition to meeting all other requirements for approval of the final plat by the plats review committee, final approval shall be conditioned on developers declaration to proceed with one or more options stated in section 66-47 for all required improvements and approval of such option(s) by the plats review committee. If the plats review committee rejects or recommends withholding submission of the final plat, the applicant may request that such plat be submitted to the city plan commission. In this event, the secretary shall forward the proposed plat, together with the report of the planning staff and the plats review committee stating the reasons for the action taken.

 

(e) Within ten days after the city plan commission review and after receipt of supporting documentation as required by this section, the secretary will forward the final plat, along with all attachments and recommendations of the city plan commission, to the city engineer for submission to the city council.

 

(f) Time limit for submission to city council. If the plat is not submitted for final approval to the city council within two years of the action by the city plan commission, the recommendation of the city plan commission shall become null and void and the final plat must be resubmitted to the commission.

 

Sec. 66-45. Review of final plat by city council.

 

(a) Submission to city council. Upon approval of the final plat by the city plan commission, the final plat may be submitted to the city council for consideration and approval. A final plat approved by the city council, shall not be released by the city clerk for recording unless and until the developer has submitted the additional information to fulfill the requirements set forth in subsection (b) and (e) of this section, subject to the approval of the city engineer.

 

(b) Form and contents of final plat and subdivision of other documents.

 

(1) Developer shall submit fifteen (15) paper copies of the final subdivision plat. In addition, in Jackson County, three (3) additional copies will be photographic Mylars, in Clay County and Platte County one (1) additional copy will be photographic Mylar, or additional copies as required by the respective County of recording. All copies shall carry the original signatures of the owners and acknowledgment by a notary public.

 

(2) Certification, imprinted seal and original signatures of the registered land surveyor on all copies of the final plat indicating that all details of the plat are correct.

 

(3) Addendum to the ownership certificate stating any changes in the certificate if the ownership certificate is dated over 120 days prior to the date of submission to the city council.

 

(4) Tax certificates from the city and the county indicating that all taxes, due and payable, have been paid.

 

(5) Final construction plans of the following utility systems and improvements in conformance with criteria currently adopted by the director of public works:

 

a. Sanitary sewer.

 

b. Storm drainage.

 

c. Sidewalks.

 

d. Streets.

 

e. Site disturbance.

 

f. Streetlights.

 

(c) Maintenance of improvements. The developer shall be required to maintain all public improvements until acceptance of such improvements by the director of public works.

 

(d) Deferral of required improvements. The city engineer may consider all requests presented to the Plats Review Committee during review of the final subdivision plat to defer the provision of any or all such improvements in accordance with Section 66-47 as, in his judgment, are not requisite in the interest of the public health, safety and general welfare, or which collectively are deemed inappropriate because of inadequacy or lack of connecting facilities. Whenever it is deemed necessary to defer the construction of any improvements required in this chapter for such reasons, the developer shall pay his estimated share of the cost of the future improvements, based on estimates equivalent to City cost to construct the improvements subject to review and approval by the city engineer, to the city prior to acceptance of the final subdivision plat by the city council and issuance of certificates of occupancy. Such payment by the developer may be in cash or other form of acceptable security, subject to approval of the appropriate agreement by the city council. For purposes of estimating street improvement contributions on collector or local street classifications, the starting rate based on average city improvement costs shall be $200.00 per lineal foot with adjustment made to increase or decrease the rate where existing constraints or conditions dictate a higher or lesser estimated cost. The city manager shall have authority annually to adjust the starting rate listed above to reflect an increase equal to an increase in the consumer price index (all items/all urban consumers/Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas) published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, provided that the increase is reflective of the city costs for such improvement. If the average costs fall below the rate being charged, the rate shall be reduced so that it is equal to or less than the average City costs for such improvements. The adjustments shall be made annually by the city manager in conjunction with the adoption of the annual budget of the city by filing a notice with the city clerk.

 

(e) Procedure. The city council shall review the final subdivision plat and may, by ordinance, either approve or disapprove the final subdivision plat. The plat, if approved, shall have endorsed upon it the approval of the mayor and city clerk and seal of the city. If the Council has approved the plat, then the city clerk may release the plat to be recorded in the appropriate recorder of deeds office after all of the following requirements are fully satisfied:

(1) The developer has submitted all required plans; and

 

(2) All required plans have been approved by the appropriate city department; and

 

(3) All improvements required as a condition for the plat have been constructed or guaranteed;

 

(4) All of the requirements set forth in section 66-44 and this section have been satisfied; and

 

(5) The city engineer issues clearance to the city clerk releasing the plat for recording.

 

(f) Time limit for recording plat. If the council shall approve the subdivision plat but the plat has not been recorded within two years of the effective date of the ordinance approving the plat, such approval shall become null and void and a new plat must be submitted to the city plan commission and city council for their consideration.

 

Sec. 66-47. Options for construction of public improvements.

 

(a) Methods of guaranteeing construction. Construction of all public improvements required by this chapter or by the city council shall occur through one of the following methods:

 

(1) Option 1: Construction of public improvements. The developer or his contractor shall proceed to obtain construction permits by posting performance and maintenance bonds for all required public improvements in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the city engineer and in accordance with section 64-4.

 

(2) Option 2: Delay construction by posting bond.

 

a. The developer may post a bond or bonds for all or a part of the required improvements in an amount estimated by the director of public works as sufficient to secure the costs for satisfactory construction, engineering, installation and dedication of all or a part of the required public improvements. Bonds for partial improvements shall be accepted only if the balance of the public improvements has been undertaken under option 1.

 

b. Such performance bonds shall comply with the requirements of RSMo 89.410, and shall be subject to approval by the director of finance and shall be in an amount satisfactory to the director of public works.

 

c. The period in which the required improvements must be commenced shall be two years from the date of the bonds posted in accordance with this option. On or before the expiration of two years, the developer shall cause a contractor's performance and maintenance bond to be issued and all required permits to be obtained.

 

d. The city engineer may, upon proof of hardship, extend the completion date set forth in such bond for a maximum period of one additional year. Further extensions may be granted by the council.

 

(3) Option 3: Delay construction by escrow or letter of credit agreement. In lieu of options 1 and 2, the developer shall enter into an escrow or a letter of credit agreement with the city, whereby the applicant will place in escrow or submit a letter of credit in an amount equal to the engineering and construction costs, as estimated by the director of public works, to cover all required public improvements. Unless a completion date is properly extended by the city engineer for the escrow or letter of credit agreement, public improvements shall be completed by the applicant pursuant to the following timetable:

 

SCHEDULE OF IMPROVEMENTS AND TIME OF COMPLETION

TABLE INSET:

 

Item Time of

Completion, From Date of

Recording of Subdivision Plat

(years)

 

1. Sanitary sewers 2

2. Storm sewers 4

3. Drainage ditches 4

4. Streets, roadways or parkways 4

5. Sidewalks other than residential 4

 

If this option is selected, the escrow or letter of credit agreement shall be submitted prior to the plat's being submitted to the city council.

 

(b) Election of option. The developer shall elect one of the options described in this section prior to submission of the final plat to the plats review committee.

 

Sec. 66-122. Streets.

 

(a) Design.

 

(1) In any new subdivision, the street layout shall conform to the arrangement, width and location indicated on the major street plan, comprehensive plan or component neighborhood unit development plan or any other planned district as approved under the provisions of the zoning ordinance. In areas for which such plans have not been completed, the streets shall be designed and located in proper relation to existing and proposed streets, to the terrain, to such natural features as streams and tree growth, to public convenience and safety, to the proposed use of the land served by such streets, and to the most advantageous development of the adjoining area. Each lot within the subdivision shall provide access to a dedicated public street.

 

(2) Proposed streets shall extend to the boundary line of the tract being subdivided unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions or unless in the opinion of the city plan commission such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision or for the advantageous development of the adjacent tracts.

 

(b) Classification. The standards within this chapter recognize the major street plan for the city and reference to that document for the determination of subdivision streets by functional classification.

 

(c) Buffer strips. Wherever the proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway, or where lots back onto a public street, the subdivision shall provide the following treatment:

 

(1) In residential districts a buffer strip at least 50 feet in depth shall be provided in addition to the normal lot depth required. The strip shall be a part of the platted lots and shall have the following restriction lettered on the face of the plat: "This strip reserved for the planting of trees or shrubs by the owner or developer; the building of structures hereon is prohibited."

 

(2) In commercial and industrial districts adjacent to a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway, no parallel street shall be less than 150 feet from the right-of-way or limited access highway.

 

(d) Intersections. Streets shall intersect each other at right angles unless otherwise dictated by topography or other factors of good design.

 

(1) The number of intersections along major streets shall be held to a minimum. Wherever practicable the distance between such intersections shall not be less than 1,200 feet.

 

(2) Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a minimum radius of 15 feet. A greater radius may be required by the city engineer where anticipated traffic justifies such a requirement.

 

(3) Streets parallel to a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway shall, when intersecting a major street, highway or collector street, be located at a minimum distance of 250 feet from such right-of-way, highway or collector street. Such distance, when desirable and practicable, shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for the future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

 

(4) Local streets need not continue across major or collector streets; but, if the centerline of such local street approaches the major streets from opposite sides thereof within 150 feet, the director of public works may require an appropriate easement to accommodate drainage facilities, pedestrian traffic or utilities.

 

(e) Right-of-way width. The minimum right-of-way of all proposed streets shall be the width specified by the major street plan; or, if no width is specified therein, the minimum width shall be as follows:

 

TABLE INSET:

 

Type of Street Right-of-Way

Freeway Varies, minimum 150 feet

Expressway 120 feet minimum

Primary arterial 100 feet minimum

Secondary arterial 80 feet minimum

Collector 60 feet minimum

Minor (local residential street) 50 feet minimum

Parkways 150 feet minimum, but must conform to established criteria

 

Every cul-de-sac shall terminate in a circular turnaround having a minimum right-of-way diameter of 100 feet.

 

(f) Grades.

 

(1) Unless necessitated by exceptional terrain, and subject to the approval of the director of public works, the maximum street grades shall not exceed the following:

 

TABLE INSET:

 

Street Type Maximum Grade

(percent)

 

Freeway 6

Expressway 6

Primary arterial 6

Secondary arterial 7

Collector 8 (residential) 6 (commercial)

Minor (local/residential street) 10

Cul-de-sac (excluding turnaround) 12

Cul-de-sac turnaround, only 12

Alleys 12

Pedestrian ways 8

 

(2) All changes in street grade shall be connected by vertical curves and be designed for safe stopping sight distances as determined by the city engineer using current Federal Highway Administration design criteria.

 

(3) Street grades may either be established by the plat or by separate ordinance. If established by separate ordinance, the applicant may begin construction of the street prior to the passage of the ordinance, but the street shall not be accepted for maintenance until the ordinance is passed. Furthermore, if established by separate ordinance, the plat shall indicate the grades proposed by the applicant, the recommendation of the director of public works and the statement that any damages caused by reason of the actual establishment of grades are waived.

 

(4) Wherever practicable, street grades shall be established in such a manner to avoid excessive grading, or promiscuous removal of ground cover and tree growth, and a general leveling of the terrain. Grades so established will reduce hazards by maintaining adequate sight distances for the classification of streets and design speeds.

 

(g) Radius of horizontal curvature.

 

(1) The centerline radius of a horizontal curve shall be as follows:

 

TABLE INSET:

 

Type of Street Minimum Curve Radius (feet)

 

Freeway 500

Expressway 500

Primary arterial 500

Secondary arterial 250

Collector 200

Minor (local/residential street) 150

 

(2) A minimum tangent length of 100 feet shall be provided between curves of opposite direction on major and collector streets.

 

(3) The developer may request a variance to the minimums set out in this subsection based on engineering considerations of topography, length of street, number of curves and other factors which may dictate a lesser radius. Such request may be approved by the plats review committee with the concurrence of the city engineer. Variations may also be granted pursuant to section 66-9.

 

(h) Half streets. Where an existing dedicated or platted half street is adjacent to the tract being subdivided, the other half of the street right-of-way shall be dedicated by the subdivider in conformance with the requirements of the major street plan. Half street dedications for minor streets are not permitted unless there is satisfactory agreement with the city that both adjacent developers agree to dedicate and construct one-half of the street, except that when a variance to this will be in the public interest.

 

(i) Street names. Street names shall be assigned by the street naming committee at the time of the preliminary plat approval. The developer shall submit a street name sign plan with the preliminary plat submittal, to be reviewed by the street naming committee. The street name sign shall be drawn at a readable scale that shows the proposed street layout with proposed names, perimeter streets and street names, lot lines and proposed street name sign locations, with a note stating the names to be put on each sign. The sign locations, size and message will be according to the public works department's "Specifications for Fabricating and Installing Street Name Signs."

 

(j) Sight distance at intersections. Minimum sight distance shall be provided at each


intersection by providing an area free of trees, shrubs, signs or other obstructions greater than two feet in height as measured from the elevation at the edge of pavement. This area shall be determined by constructing two overlapping triangles such that the long leg of each triangle is measured along the edge of pavement 140 feet, the short leg of each triangle is measured along the adjacent edge of pavement 15 feet, and the hypotenuse is constructed to connect the two legs, thus forming an intersecting area to remain free of obstructions.

 

Section 2. That the Council finds and declares that before taking any action on the proposed amendment hereinabove, all public notices and hearings required by the Zoning Ordinance have been given and had.

 

_____________________________________________

 

I hereby certify that as required by Chapter 80, Code of Ordinances, the foregoing ordinance was duly advertised and public hearings were held.

 

 

___________________________________

Secretary, City Plan Commission

 

Approved as to form and legality:

 

 

___________________________________

Assistant City Attorney